Ask John: What’s Behind the “I Won’t Lose” Attitude?

Question:
Do you know the origin and history of the expression often used by one or more romantic rivals: “I won’t be beaten”?

Answer:
I don’t know of a formal explanation of or reason behind the common anime character sentiment, “I won’t be beaten,” but I do have a personal theory. My guess is that this perspective is exemplary of traditional Japanese influence and different from American perspective because of America’s different cultural background. It could be said that the Japanese undaunted attitude is an inheritance from military tradition, but I think that’s too specific. Rather, I suspect that the attitude is exemplary of an cultural attitude which evolved from ancient military spirit.

Whether it’s girls competing for the affection of the same boy, athletes competing in a particular sport, students competing academically, or warriors facing each other in combat, anime characters periodically express the same defiant attitude. “I won’t lose to you.” The outcome, in fact, isn’t predetermined nor is it even of primary importance. The assertion, “I won’t lose to you,” isn’t as much a promise to the opponent as it is a promise to the self. It’s a means of encouragement to keep trying, to never give up regardless of the odds. America, like most countries and cultures, I imagine, has a similar ideal, but the ideal is more solidified in Japanese culture than in many other cultures. Japan, unlike America, has a cultural history of merged military and civilian perspectives. The samurai spirit of loyalty and perseverance evolved into the WWII era kamikaze attitude of devotion to duty at all cost. Following WWII, that soldierly spirit softened and developed into the Japanese salaryman spirit – the selfless devotion to work and progress. That diligent determination has continued to soften and evolve in Japanese culture, but it hasn’t entirely disappeared. The assertion, “I won’t be beaten,” may be the modern incarnation of the ancient Japanese traditional attitude of perseverance, loyalty, and determination.

The assertion appears particularly often in manga and anime because the mediums are targeted at Japanese youth. In the same way Shounen Jump literally encourages the principles of loyalty, friendship, teamwork, and hard work, much of anime and manga serves to encourage Japanese youth with the traditional Japanese values of personal responsibility and personal fortitude. The Japanese “ganbare!” spirit – the eagerness to challenge the future and confidently stride forward regardless of the obstacles in the way – are encapsulated within the assertion, “I won’t lose to you.”